Drill bits are widely used for drilling holes in various materials, including wood, wood laminates, plastic countertop material, metals, and other natural or artificial materials. Drill holes are created along the axis of the drill bit.
In addition to the ability to drill holes, some drill bits also include additional features. For example, some drill bits are ground to a high precision to provide a reaming function. Other drill bits include cutting features that allow the bit to cut in a lateral direction (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the axis of the drill bit).
Although drill bits with reaming ability in metal have been provided in the past, these combined drill and reamer bits have included certain disadvantages in wood and laminated materials. For example, past drill and reamer bits have included a tip that is difficult to stabilize and keep on line when the initial drill hole is started. As another example, past drill and/or reamer bits have had problems producing clean cuts that result in splintering or tear out on entrance and/or exit of the bit from a drill hole.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a combined drill and reamer bit including features that stabilize the bit and keep it on line when the initial drill hole is started, allowing the bit to produce precise drill holes. It would also be advantageous to provide a combined drill and reamer bit that produces clean cuts that do not result in splintering or tear-out upon entrance and/or exit of the bit from a drill hole. While it would be desirable to provide a tool bit that provides one or more of the above or other advantageous features as may be apparent to those reviewing this disclosure, the teachings disclosed herein extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned advantages.